There are times when we read something in the Word, see what’s written and gain a superficial comprehension of the truth being presented, but fail to see the power and depth of what Holy Spirit is communicating to us.

One of those truths is found in John 11:35. While it is the shortest verse in the Word, it is fathomless in its significance and power. It gives us a depth of understanding into the character and heart of Jesus that allows us to see him as our great high priest and intercessor.

In order to truly have the proper understanding of the truth being given to us, we must view the context and circumstance surrounding what it written in these few but powerful words. What we are really witnessing is the heart of Jesus reacting to the suffering of humanity. The Greek word for wept here is “Dakruo”. It means “to shed tears, cry or to cry or weep for something or someone or something.” It is the only instance in the New Testament that this word is used. In looking at this verse before, I would have the image of Jesus standing quietly with a tear running down his face. This is an extremely shallow view of what was taking place. This was a moment when a dam of emotion broke in the heart of Jesus. All that he was feeling in that moment boiled to the surfaced and a torrent of tears burst forth out of him. He was able to show great self-control when the pharisees baited him and he was taunted by the crowd at his crucifixion. He was not overcome with emotion when Judas betrayed him or when Peter denied him. He did not weep in Gethsemane or when the spikes were driven into his hands and feet. He didn’t weep when he was spit on, mocked, ridiculed and humiliated. He kept his emotions in check in all these instances yet, at the sight of someone else suffering, the dam of emotion broke, and he wept.

What was it about this scene that caused such an emotional response from Jesus, what made him weep? If you look back at verse 33, you get insight that is so powerful. It says that when Jesus saw Mary and the Jews with her weeping, he was deeply moved and greatly troubled. Those two words are key to understanding the emotions Jesus was feeling. He was not weeping in grief, but what he was witnessing moved him deeply and troubled his spirit. When it says he was “deeply moved (Embrimaomai)” and “troubled (Tarasso)” It literally means he was enraged in spirit, stirred up and agitated to such an extent that it caused a deep emotional disturbance in his spirit. In other words, Jesus, through his weeping, was saying “I hate death, I hate sickness, I hate the effect of sin on my creation. I hate the distress on humanity, I’m sick of watching them suffer.” He was angry at the ravages of sin on mankind and his anger so great that the next words out of his mouth were “Where have you laid him?” He was not expressing grief that Lazarus had died, because he knew what he was going to do next. He was expressing anger at the sickness Lazarus had suffered with, he was expressing anger at death for the pain and sorrow it brought to Martha and Mary. He was moved so greatly by the effect that sin had brought on those he loved so dearly that he was going to override their effect with his resurrection power. This outbreak of emotion was also triggered by his distress over people’s spiritual blindness and unbelief. He was deeply agitated by the rebellion that he could see in the hearts towards God the Father.

So, what’s the truth for us to glean here? Simply put, no matter what we think or feel, we do not suffer alone, we don’t weep alone. Heb. 4:15 says this ” For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning (Amplified Bible – Lockman)”. It means even though we can’t see him, and in some instances feel him, that does not disqualify him feeling our distress. It doesn’t lessen his anger and agitation at the sickness, sorrow, suffering and death that the dominion of sin brought to us. He is not aloof from your suffering but feels it intimately. He is not disinterested or indifferent to the sorrow and suffering you are now enduring. He came to earth, took on our human nature precisely so he can “feel” with us. That is what fueled his desire to go to the cross, suffer for us, to deliver us from those effects of sin. It is what continues to motivate his desire to once and for all do away with all the sickness, death, sorrow and suffering that are the curses of sin that plague humanity.

So, the next time you’re in the middle of the sorrows and storms of life, remember “Jesus wept.” Remember that you don’t weep alone because Jesus weeps with you. His emotions are stirred up, he is deeply moved by what you are going through because he knows not just how you feel, but what you feel. We take comfort in the fact that one day, sin and its author will be dealt a death blow, and we will never experience the effects of the curse again. He will wipe away our tears and bring an end to the dominion of sorrow, sickness, suffering and death itself.